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DCMilitary Family Life - Advertising Supplement
Winter 2012
The Tale
of the Curse
by Nancy Lavallee
Some say it doesn’t exist.
Others speak of it in hushed, ominous
tones, afraid to tempt fate by uttering its name.
It strikes when we are alone; when we are
at our most vulnerable.
They call it … the Deployment Curse.
I’m willing to bet it’s struck most of us at
one time or another during those long
months on our own. At first, everything
seems to be going so well. You’re starting to
settle into the rhythm of deployed life, starting
to believe you’ll make it through the next six
months without being hit by any major catastrophes. There’s no such thing as a curse,
right? Right?
And that’s when it will strike—the water
heater will fail, the transmission will go out, or
you and the kids will be hit with a particularly
scary stomach virus that you spend the next
six weeks trading back and forth.
Even the nonsuperstitious among us must
have noticed it; it’s almost inevitable. Our
spouses deploy, and within a week or two,
we’re walloped by it as if we’re being initiated
into some Sisterhood of Deployed Spouses.
Yes, I’ve been a victim of the Curse, too. My
Winter 2012
husband’s first deployment came when I was
five months pregnant with our second child. A
couple of weeks after he left, I pulled over to
the curb beside a mailbox and jumped out of
the car to mail a letter. While the car was still
stuck in drive. With my 15-month-old in the
backseat. Speaking of curses, I let forth a string
of colorful ones, and onlookers were treated to
the sight of a pregnant woman running across
the O Club parking lot after her car while a toddler laughed happily in the backseat.
The car lurched several feet forward into
the back of a pickup truck before the truck’s
driver managed to jump into my car and
throw it into park. It could have been much
worse, but there was no major damage to
either vehicle. Nevertheless, the Curse had
found me.
The next year, I was rear-ended while I was
stopped at a stop sign. On the same day my
husband deployed. While driving a car we
had bought only a week before.
The next several deployments were free of
major disasters, but the deployment gremlins
were just lulling me into a false sense of security. Toying with me. Waiting to strike.
See CURSE on page 11
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DCMilitary Family Life - Advertising Supplement
Page 3
Outlook for military
family programs
remains strong
by Alice Swan
METRO CREATIVE GRAPHICS
DCMilitary Family Life
John Rives, Publisher
Comprint Military Publications
301-921-2800
Maxine Minar, President
Circulation of 110,000 printed by offset as a civilian enterprise quarterly magazine for installations within the National Capital Region by Comprint Military
Publications, a division of The Gazette. Comprint Military Publications is located
at 9030 Comprint Court, Gaithersburg, MD 20877. Telephone 301-921-2800.
Editorial content, including graphic art and photographs that support messages,
new stories, and feature articles, are prepared in the Marketing Offices of the installations
that contribute the information and blogs from DCMilitaryFamLife.com. Letters and suggestions may be mailed to DCMilitary Family Life Publisher, Comprint Military Publications, 9030
Comprint Court, Gaithersburg, MD 20877.
The printer is a private firm in no way connected with the Department of Defense. Opinions
expressed herein are those of the contributors to this Marketing publication, and they are not
to be considered an official expression of the Department of Defense. The appearance of
advertisements in this publication does not constitute an endorsement by the Department of
Defense of the products or services advertised.
Page 4
The election season may be over, but the
military community still faces concerns over
the looming fiscal cliff and sequestration
threats and the future of military family programming. At the Association of the United
States Army (AUSA) Annual Meeting and
Exposition in October, senior Army leaders
reassured AUSA Family Forum attendees of
their continued commitment to Family
Program resourcing, a commitment shared
by leaders of all the services.
Army officials noted that the 2013 Army
budget includes $1.3 billion for soldier and
family life programs, more than double the
amount in previous years. While recognizing
that supporting families is a key factor in
maintaining strong volunteer forces, officials
also noted that the Army has to begin working to prioritize and support the programs
that are most effective.
Much of the resource focus will be on reintegration services for soldiers and families,
substance abuse, mental health, and suicide
prevention programs. There is also a push to
develop a Soldier for Life initiative that will follow a soldier through recruitment, assignment
(with improved sponsorship programs),
Expiration of Time of Service or retirement
with revamped transition services and job
placement, according to officials. But, they
also noted, as the conflicts of the last 11 years
end, some programs may be consolidated or
eliminated as their funding sources go away.
However, many family program initiatives
that have been developed during this same
time have come from outside the
Department of Defense and may not be as
affected by those internal military budget
constraints. From resources created by military spouses to support programs developed by Sesame Street, military families will
still have many places to turn to for help.
1. Male spouses are finding
their collective voice
Wayne Perry, Army spouse and cofounder
of MANning the Homefront, said that there
are more than 98,000 male spouses across
the services, and when National Guard and
Reserve families are included, the number
grows to 186,000. With more women joining
the military, he expects the number to continue to grow. “Think of (units) as a kind of fraternity and female spouse groups as a sorority…male spouses need that type of community,” said Perry.
DCMilitary Family Life - Advertising Supplement
Through MANning the Homefront and
MachoSpouse.com, Perry and others are trying to create a Battle Buddy organization for
fellow male spouses. “We’re trying to reach
male spouses, bringing them together to
build resiliency and community,” he said. You
can find MANning on Facebook or visit
www.machospouse.com. The site features
videos from other male spouses, helpful links
to resources, job finding tips and a Male
Spouse 101 tab.
2. Sittercity
child care program
Finding child care may be one of the hardest things military families face each time
they move. Sittercity provides military families
a clearinghouse for finding reliable child care.
Sittercity is an online service connecting families with screened and reviewed caregivers,
babysitters, nannies, senior care, pet care,
housekeepers and even tutors. The
Department of Defense currently funds membership in Sittercity for all the military services and has helped more than 78,000 military
families to date. Visit www.sittercity.com/dod
for more information.
3. Realwarriors.net
This online resource is designed to provide
tools and tips to help military families through
all stages of deployment. There are video profiles of real military families sharing how they
coped and conquered the physical and psychological effects of combat service. There
are also resource links for the war fighter,
spouse and children to build family resilience.
The Real Warriors Campaign is sponsored by
the Department of Defense and the Defense
Centers of Excellence for Psychological
Health and Traumatic Brain Injury.
4. Operation Give a Hug
www.ogah.org
For founder and Army spouse Susan Agustin,
it started as a simple way to help her daughter
Maddie cope with her dad’s deployment. Back
in 2002, Maddie had gotten a Huggee Miss You
doll as a gift from her cousins, which had their
picture in the face. When Maddie’s dad Capt.
Gene Agustin deployed, Susan Agustin had the
idea of putting dad’s face in the doll. It quickly
became Maggie’s source of comfort while dad
was gone.
Winter 2012
“Since she took it everywhere, other military spouses saw it and would ask how to get
one,” Susan Agustin said. “I contacted the
woman who made the original and worked
with her on creating a military doll.”
In 2003, she began distributing the dolls as
a home-based business to her local military
community, but as the deployments grew, so
did the requests from across the services.
Agustin created her nonprofit, Operation Give
a Hug, in 2004, and in 2008, partnered with
the Department of the Army to create a special doll for children of deployed soldiers. The
doll features a hangtag with tips and
resources for parents.
Operation Give a Hug has been able to provide more than 500,000 comfort dolls to military children across the world. Dolls are distributed through the website, Family
Readiness Groups, school counselors, major
military medical facilities, Operation: Military
Kids programs, and family life consultants.
5. A Backpack Journalist
www.abackpackjournalist.com
This relatively new program for military
youth ages 6 to 11 and 12 to 18 was
designed to build resilience in children by
helping them find their voice. By aiding military youth in developing their creative communication skills, they’ll be better able to
communicate their problems and emotions
with parents, teachers and peers. The organization provides classes, workshops, summer
camps and exciting events to help members
get through all phases of the deployment
cycle. Backpack Journalists were even on
hand to cover the Army Ten-Miler and the
AUSA’s annual meeting—from interviewing
racers, veterans and Wounded Warriors to
joining in a press conference with Gen.
Raymond Odierno. A few of the teen journalists were family members from the
Washington, D.C. National Guard. From creating deployment raps to photography to writing hard news stories, Backpack Journalist is
opening new doors for older military children
to connect and cope with the stress of military life. Also find them on Facebook.
6. Student 2 Student/
Junior Student 2 Student
www.militarychild.org
Imagine your high school or middle school
student being able to email, text, Facebook
chat or actually talk to a fellow military child at
a new school before you arrive. Imagine
them being able to set up a lunch date for the
first day of school; learn about clubs, sports,
courses and teachers; and actually be excited about going to a new school. That is the
goal of this student-led program developed
by the nonprofit Military Child Education
Coalition (MCEC).
Military and civilian teens and preteens are
trained to lead these peer-based programs at
their schools to help ease the trauma of
school transition. A list of participating
schools—including many Maryland high
schools and Mount Vernon High School in
Alexandria, Va.—can be found on the website.
Parents and students in the Military District of
Washington can find information on the
MCEC website about forming programs in
their schools.
7. Little CHAMPS
thelittlechamps.org
Elementary-age military children now have
their own support program through Little
CHAMPS. This new, public health initiative is
designed to encourage coping skills in
younger children and raise awareness
among their civilian peers, teachers and
school leaders about what military children
are experiencing. Through the book “The
Little CHAMPS: Child Heroes Attached to
Military Personnel,” as well as songs, videos
and training materials, schools can help
younger military children feel more understood at school, according to developer and
author Debbie Fink. The CHAMPS program
has partnered with the USO, The American
Red Cross, MCEC and others to share this
initiative with the more than 600,000 elementary-aged military children.
8. Sesame Street resources
for military families
www.familiesnearandfar.org
According to Lynn Chwatsky with Sesame
Workshop, Sesame Street has been working on projects to support military children
since 2005. These programs are designed
to not only help toddlers and preschoolers,
but also parents and caregivers by providing age-appropriate tools to support and
reassure children. Chwatsky noted during
the AUSA Family Forum that their programs
are effective because the characters resonate with children and speak to families
directly, encouraging communication.
School-aged military children can also take
advantage of the new Electric Company
activities online.
With the USO, Sesame Workshop has
been taking a deployment-themed show to
military communities and has introduced two
apps—“Feel Electric!” and “Sesame Street for
Military Families.” The “Talk, Listen, Connect”
series has English and Spanish video programs on deployments, homecomings,
change and dealing with grief.
These are just a few of the many resources
available to military families. Additional programs can be found at sites such as
www.militaryonesource.mil, www.ausa.org
and www.militaryfamily.org.
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Winter 2012
DCMilitary Family Life - Advertising Supplement
Page 5
Can You Ever Go Back?
PHOTO COURTESY/SIOBHAN FULLER-MCCONNELL
By Siobhan Fuller-McConnell
Fifteen months ago, life changed forever
for me and for my family. My son, Derek, then
21 years ago, was injured in Afghanistan.
At the time of his injury, I was an attorney
with a mid-size law firm practicing family law,
and I loved it. The cases were difficult, but I
felt as if I was helping wonderful people get
through the hardest times in their lives. It was
fulfilling and rewarding. I was also a single
mom of five kids, raising my children alone
after their father left the state. My oldest,
Michael, had just arrived home after serving
four years in the U.S. Navy. My twins, Kellina
and Ryan, 16, and my son, Sean, 14, were in
high school. We didn't have a lot of money,
but we had a small, comfortable home, pets
and a good life.
I walked away from it all for nine months.
My employers were understanding for the
first two months, but then I was let go. Derek
was still “in the woods,” and I was needed at
Walter Reed National Military Medical Center
Page 6
in Bethesda, Md. My children moved in with
my sister, who took over for me.
Would life ever be the same again? Could I
return to my prior life after this ordeal was
over? What would be left of my prior life when
I did return? Could I go back?
What followed over the next few months
changed all of us forever. Not only did I find
myself out of work in a terrible economy, but
we all saw how quick and easy our lives
could change.
On the plus side, my children became
more self-sufficient. They learned to rely on
themselves and not look to Mom to solve
everything. All three are now employed part
time while attending school. Their incomes
help with the little, extra expenses. But, as a
mom, this is hard to accept, at times. I still
want to be Mommy.
The medical staff at Walter Reed is top
notch, most of the time, and our wounded
warriors heal and move on with their lives. It’s
a long, hard road, but there is a lot of support
to get them through it. They have nonprofits,
federal programs and so much more to help
them rebuild and move on.
But what about the moms? I am working five
part-time jobs at present, and I am still not
making ends meet. I write, substitute teach
and sell Mary Kay. In addition, I just hung my
own shingle to open my own law office and I
am taking a mediation class so that I can mediate disputes. We still might lose the house. All
this because of one incident, on July 23, 2011,
that changed everything forever.
While at Walter Reed, we all have access
to nonprofits and other organizations and
programs that will help us, but when we
return home, what is there for us? Where can
we go to pick up the pieces? Can we ever
really go back?
At times, I feel so disconnected. In speaking with other moms who have also gone
through this, my plight is not unusual. For
months, we devote ourselves to helping our
sons heal. We spend all day, every day,
DCMilitary Family Life - Advertising Supplement
enmeshed in medical procedures, therapy
and life-altering decisions. We are surrounded by people who have “been there, done
that,” and they understand what we are
going through.
When we leave the safety of the “Bethesda
Bubble,” can we adjust to real life again?
There are no more wounded warrior games
on the porch of Building 62. There are no
more spontaneous gatherings of caregivers
to chat, drink, shop, whatever. We are thrown
back into the real world without a net.
After nine months at Walter Reed, Derek
was well enough for me to return home. But I
left a piece of me behind. I am not the same
person I was before. Part of me has changed
for the better, but there is that other part ... the
lost part ... the confused part. One day, I know
I will have myself back together. Just as others have done, I will pull on my big girl panties
and deal, but for now, I am still longing for
something that was lost. I am still wanting to
go back to life as it was before the boom.
Winter 2012
By Nancy Lavallee
I remember when I went to my first
spouses’ gathering after my husband went
back onto active duty. I was a new military
spouse, and I wasn’t sure what to expect. It
was lovely; the women were very friendly
and welcoming, but I was shocked that the
first question I got after introductions were
made was, “So, what does your husband
do?”
I was taken aback. I had a successful law
career I had been pursuing for the past
decade. I had just left a job as an assistant
city solicitor. Why didn’t anyone ask me
what I did?
My husband tried to explain that it wasn’t meant as an insult. It is natural for
strangers to want to find common bonds,
and in our diverse world, the military was
the one thing we all had in common. I
understood, but I worried that I would start
to identify myself solely through his job.
Would I lose my sense of self? Would I
lose the things that made me who I was?
More than a decade later, I don’t even
think twice about it anymore, and I’ve gotten used to not only answering “the question,” but I find myself asking it, too. The mil-
Identity Crisis
itary is such a huge part of our daily lives.
Our spouses’ jobs shape not just where we
live, but how we live—how we think of ourselves and our families, whether our
spouses are intel officers or medics or
maintainers.
When you live in a military community,
you get used to seeing minivans with
“Proud Air Force Wife” tooling around
town. You know people wit h email
addresses like usmcwife09@myemail.com
or LUVMYF16 PILOT@writeme.com.
That kind of pride and support is wonderful, but the thing is, a military spouse is an
accomplished person in his or her own
right. We have advanced degrees. We
cook and paint and write. We run
marathons. We volunteer at our churches
and our children’s schools. But marrying a
member of the military often means putting
our own careers and interests on hold, if
not sacrificing them altogether.
Of course, being a military wife is like
being a pastor’s wife or a politician’s wife.
His job becomes your job, too. It’s a job
that requires not just total commitment
from the employee, but from the entire
family.
When you live in
a military community,
you get used to seeing
minivans with
“Proud Air Force Wife”
tooling around town.
There are very few jobs like that. I can’t
say I’ve ever seen any “I Love My
Insurance Adjuster” or “Proud Mortician’s
Wife” bumper stickers. Still, I realize
there’s no comparison. Being married to
an insurance adjuster or a mortician or a
lawyer is not the same as being married to
an active duty military member. Being a
lawyer was my job. The military is a life.
The important thing is to keep it from
becoming an all-consuming life. Although
we all know spouses who still “wear rank,”
the military has changed significantly for
spouses in the last 50 years. More of us
are able to pursue our own goals and interests. Still, being a military spouse is a 24hour job. There is no downtime.
At our last base, my husband’s flying
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Winter 2012
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- Lifetime warranty
- Free custom-fitted toiletry kit
- Tough 1200D ballistic polyester
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- Small clothes, shoes, toiletries
go inside, large clothes go in the
garment bag which wraps gently
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squadron was filled with newlywed young
lieutenants just out of pilot training. Their
new wives proudly wore airplane jewelry
and squadron T-shirts, and it was wonderful to see them so enthusiastic.
I hoped they would remain as proud and
enthusiastic, just as I hoped they would
maintain their professional licenses or
keep running triathlons or teaching yoga or
whatever they can to carve out a small corner of military life for themselves.
In the end, it’s more of an observation
than a complaint. I’m enormously proud of
my husband and I have never been anything but proud to support the mission. I
don’t regret any of the choices we made as
a family.
And he’s proud of me, too. He has been
nothing but supportive as I studied for a bar
exam, worked as lawyer or sang in the
church choir. I think that kind of support is
one of the greatest gifts a spouse can be
given.
There may not be a “Proud Attorney’s
Husband” bumper sticker on his car, but he
has been known to wear a “Real Men
Marry Lawyers” T-shirt under his flight suit.
SkyRoll is the only luggage that
lets you travel without folding your
uniforms. With SkyRoll, large
clothing gently wraps around the
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Named a best product of the year
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Named a Top 5 Coolest
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Available At The Uniform Shop On Base
DCMilitary Family Life - Advertising Supplement
Page 7
Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling MWR
Holiday Decorating Contest
Holiday Tree Lighting
December 5th at 6p.m.; Post Office parking lot
Kick off the holidays with our Annual Tree Lighting event!
There will be entertainment, refreshments and special guest
appearances for the whole family to enjoy!
New Years Eve Membership Event
December 31st, 8p.m. to 2a.m. at Bolling Club
Celebrate New Yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Eve at your Club! Our members can
ring in the New Year FREE! There will be three rooms of nonstop entertainment featuring Elvis (Lionel and the New
World Band), DJ Scott and others. Party favors and complimentary breakfast will be served at 12:15am included FREE
for all members.
Club Members are FREE in advance (pick up your tickets
at the Club administrative office through December 28th) or
$10 at the door. Non-members are $25 in advance and $35
at the door.
Child care is also available â&#x20AC;&#x201C; limited space, so make your
reservations early! $10 per child in advance (sign up by
December) or $75 at the door. Please call 202-563-8400 for
more information.
METRO CREATIVE GRAPHICS
1032052
Get in the holiday spirit and get creative! Spread your holiday cheer at your office space or home and submit a photo
of your decorated door/cubicle to win a prize!
Please submit one jpg/pdf photo of your decorated space
to jbab.marketing@gmail.com. Include your name, phone #,
location and a brief description/inspiration. All submitted
photos will be uploaded to the JBAB MWR Facebook page
and the photo with the most votes will be the winner!
Age Categories: 12 and under & 13 and above
Must Submit Entries By: Midnight, Thursday, December 13th
Voting will begin on: Midnight on Friday, December 14th to
Tuesday, December 18th
W i n n e r w i l l b e a n n o u n c e d o n : www.facebook
.com/JBAB.MWR on Wednesday, December 19th
Prizes:
1 2 a n d u n d e r - $50 dollars Warfighter and Family
Readiness Bucks (accepted at all WFR facilities)
(2) AMC Movie Tickets
(2) $20 Potomac Lanes Bowling Center Coupons
13 and up - $50 Warfighter and Family Readiness Bucks
(accepted at all WFR facilities)
(2) AMC Movie Tickets
(2) $20 Potomac Lanes Bowling Center Coupons
All ages are welcome to participate. Only one entry per
person. Open to Active Duty Military, DOD, Civilians and
Contractors on Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling. The door/cubicle must be located at Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling.
Please call the Marketing Department at 202-767-1371 or
visit our Facebook page (www.facebook.com/JBAB.MWR)
for more information.
Page 8
DCMilitary Family Life - Advertising Supplement
Winter 2012
NSA Annapolis MWR
15th Annual
"Here's To Our Health,
Nutrition and Fitness” Fair
Congratulations, Winner!
MWR Annapolis’ 15th Annual "Here's to
Our Health, Nutrition and Fitness Fair," will be
held on Tuesday, March 26, 2013 from 10
a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Recreation Services
Bldg. #89 at Naval Support Activity
Annapolis.
The fair promotes the Navy's health and fitness programs and exposes military and
civilian employees and their family members
to fitness and wellness opportunities available in the local community.
Exhibits will include free glucose and blood
pressure screenings; vision, and hearing
screenings; chiropractic screenings; bone
density screenings; body fat analysis; information on dental health, healthy cooking,
weight loss programs and alternative wellness such as acupuncture, asthma information, and information on athletic shoes and fitness apparel.
There will be healthy snacks and information on various walking / running clubs and fitness programs. Free trial massages will be
available!
There will be the annual “Marine Corps PullUp Challenge” and a push-up contest with
prizes for male and female first place winners. Door prizes will be drawn throughout
METRO CREATIVE GRAPHICS
the day. Admission is free. The fair is open
to all active duty, USNA Midshipmen, retired
military, reservists, Coast Guard, National
Guard, active and retired DoD civilian employees including USNA faculty and staff and all
family members, DoD contractors and NAAA
personnel and Naval Academy Alumni
Association personnel.
If you are interested in being an exhibitor or
sponsor or would like more information
about the Health Fair, please call Donna
Ruokonen, MWR Commercial Sponsorship
Coordinator, at 410-293-9206.
Congratulations to Carol Robillard, spouse
of CDR David Robillard, professor in the
Ocean Engineering Department at the U.S.
Naval Academy. Carol’s name was selected
from among 161 entries - mostly local - but
some from far away as Texas, New York and
California. Both Carol and David are looking
forward to the weekend package, attending
the game and having a small vacation without
six children.
Look for the “Winner’s Circle” photo online
at: http://www.usna.edu/MWR/MARCOM
/7thAnnual-Army-NavyFootballWeekend
Giveaway-ContestPage
The annual contest was hosted by Morale,
Welfare and Recreation Annapolis and was
publicized in the Fall issue of
“DCMilitaryLiving,” the Joint Services Leisure
Guide in the National Capital area. The contest page was promoted on the USNA MWR
website.
The winner received a luxury weekend
package which included four tickets to the
113th Army-Navy game at Lincoln Financial
Field (Philadelphia), four tickets to the ArmyNavy Alumni pre-game tailgater and an autographed football sponsored by the Naval
Academy Athletic Association; weekend fullsize car rental sponsored by Enterprise Renta-Car; and a dinner cruise for four sponsored
METRO CREATIVE GRAPHICS
by the Spirit of Philadelphia. Prizes were
obtained via the Navy’s Commercial Sponsor
and Partnership Program.
Disclaimer: MWR Annapolis thanks the
sponsors of this contest, however neither
MWR, the Navy nor any other part of the federal government officially endorses any company, sponsor or their products or services.
Duncan’s Family Campground
Camp Close to Washington, DC
FREE
Wi-Fi
15 minutes to Andrews,
35 minutes to Fort Meade
1035952
Located in Maryland Between
DC and Annapolis
KIDS
CAMP
• Open All Year Long
FREE
• Big Rig Friendly
• Rental Trailers & Cabins
• Sparkling Pool
• Van to Metro & DC Tours
• Quiet Wooded Sites
Monthly Rental Spaces
• New Dog Park
Available! 1 Month rate
15% Military Discount on nightly fees only $795. Active duty
Military receive $50
& special monthly rates for Military
off monthly rate.
• FREE Cable TV
• Affordable Family Camping While Touring DC
410-741-9558 • Duncansfamilycampground.com
Providing excellent lodging and great service
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All spacious
guest rooms
overlook the
central
courtyard
Ideally located just seven miles from Old
Town Alexandria, close to many area
attractions and businesses like Fort Belvoir,
George Washington’s Mount Vernon Estate &
Gardens, John F. Kennedy Center for the
Performing Arts, the Marine Corps War
Memorial (Iwo Jima Memorial) and the
Potomac Mills shopping center. Reagan
National Airport is 12.5 miles away.
Countless Amenities.
Quality Inn & Suites Near Ft. Belvoir
8849 Richmond Hwy, Alexandria, VA 22309 • 703.780.0300
Winter 2012
1036009
DCMilitary Family Life - Advertising Supplement
Page 9
NSA South Potomac and NSF Dahlgren MWR
Sign up to get a free subscription for NSF
Dahlgren Fleet and Family Readiness (FFR)
weekly Electronic Newsletter (e-News) at
FFRPMarketing_Dahlgren@navy.mil for special events, restaurant menu, sports events,
Fleet and Family Support Center class
schedules and more!
Visit Naval Support Activity South
Potomac (NSASP) on the web! Our web
address is www.cnic.navy.mil/SPotomac
Have you found Naval Support Activity
South Potomac (NSASP) on Facebook?
www.facebook.com/pages/Naval-SupportActivity-South-Potomac/481418550575
Auto Skills Center
Open 4 days a week for service or the doit-yourselfer. The Auto Skills Center is available for all your basic car maintenance.
Qualified staff will assist you in doing it right!
Cannonball Lanes Bowling Alley
Open 6 days a week, Cannonball Lanes
has 10 lanes of bowling featuring AMF
equipment with state-of-the-art Bose sound
system, concessions and shoes available.
Activities include open bowling, special
event nights, leagues, and party rentals.
Game Time Sports Grill
Open 6 days a week, located within
Cannonball Lanes! The Dahlgren MWR
Department recently changed over the
Mean Gene's Burgers food operation located in Cannonball Lanes to the "Game Time
Sports Grill". This new food operation provides more options and a larger variety of
menu items. Hours of operation are Monday
through Thursday 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Friday
11 a.m. to midnight, Saturday noon to midnight; open Sundays from noon to 6 p.m.
Cannonball Café
Open 6 days a week, the Café is located
within Cannonball Lanes! Proudly serving
Seattle's Best Coffee. Freshly brewed hot or
iced coffee, lattes, cappuccino and espresso are available. Lounge includes Wi-Fi hot
spot.
Child Development
Center (CDC)
Open 5 days a week, the CDC provides a
full-time child development program for children six weeks to five years old. The center
is open from 6 a.m. - 6 p.m. The CDC is
accredited by the National Association for
the Education of Young Children, holds DoD
Page 10
METRO CREATIVE GRAPHICS
certification and participates in the USDA
child and adult care food program.
Craftech Hobby Shop
Open 5 days a week, Craftech offers
classes in stained glass, ceramics, framing
and matting along with many more! Craftech
carries craft supplies and will special order
parts and supplies for customers. Is your
child into art? How about a crafting birthday
party? For more information please stop by
the Craftech Office.
Dahlgren Aquatics Center
Fall/Winter Pool hours will be starting
Labor Day. Open year round for Red Cross
CPR & Life Guard Training, swimming lessons, lap swimming, and aqua aerobics
classes and special family events monthly.
Please call the pool for hours of operation,
prices and facility rental at 540-653-8088
Child Development
Home Care Program
Training available for Military & DoD
spouses who live on base to offer childcare
in their own homes and provide the same
high standard of care as in the Child and
Youth Programs. This program is highly
monitored and is a great convenience for
civilians working on the base. If you are
interested in becoming a Child Development
Home care provider contact Trische Mollner
at 540-653-4342 for more information.
Gray’s Landing
on the Potomac Restaurant
Hours of Operation – Open 7 days a week
Breakfast 6 - 9 a.m.
Lunch 11 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Dinner 4 - 6 p.m.
Weekends and Holidays
10 a.m. - 2 p.m. - Brunch
4 - 6 p.m. – Dinner
Gray's Café
Open Mon - Fri from 6:30 a.m. - 4 p.m. and
located within Gray’s Landing on the
Potomac Restaurant. Gray’s Cafe proudly
serves Starbucks Coffee, fresh brewed coffee, lattes, frappuccinos, cappuccinos and
espresso, and includes fresh baked pastries, bottled beverages, fruit cups, yogurt
parfaits, a selection of wraps and grab-n-go
meals, along with other beverages. Lounge
with Wi-Fi hot spot and television.
DCMilitary Family Life - Advertising Supplement
Dahlgren Fitness Center
Open 7 days a week. You can join a variety of group fitness classes, including
Cardio Boxing, Spinning, Power Yoga,
Strength and Stability and Kettlebells. The
Fitness Center offers racquetball throughout
the year. Other sports and tournaments are
offered, such as softball, soccer, flag football, dodgeball, and basketball. Karate
classes are also offered throughout the year
every 3 months for children ages 6 through
adult. Ballet and jazz classes are offered
during the school year.
Information, Tickets
and Tours (ITT)
Open 5 days a week – The ITT office
offers information, maps and directions to
local shopping, restaurants, historical sites
and entertainment - Discount tickets to
Regal Cinemas, Cineplex Odeon Theaters,
Baltimore Aquarium, Myrtle Beach, Disney
World, Sea World and more! Ask for information on Military Discounts and the Armed
Forces Vacation Club. Also call the ITT
Office at 540-653-8785 for more information
on MWR facility rentals.
See NSASP on page 13
Winter 2012
C U R S E continued from page 3
Then, during a deployment two years ago, I
left the mall to find that my car had been hit in
the parking lot. On Christmas Eve.
We’ve all gotten the pamphlets from Family
Readiness or sat through countless predeployment briefings giving us advice on how
to prepare while our spouses are away. Even
so, there’s nothing that can prepare you for a
deployment like actually going through it, and
over the years, we’ve all learned ways to
avoid, or at least mitigate, the damage
caused by the Deployment Curse.
Many spouses get so handy with a tire jack,
drill and set of tools, they could host their own
DIY show on cable. I prefer keeping the number of a good handyman on speed dial and
making sure my AAA membership is up to
date. Not to say that I am completely helpless;
I can hook up any DVR with a blindfold on and
I do work a mean Phillips-head screwdriver.
My own secret talisman to ward off the evil
of the Curse is a good up-to-date power of
attorney, and my husband never goes away
for more than few days at a time without leaving me with one. I keep one on hand like Van
Helsing keeps garlic.
Most of the area’s military installations will
provide this free service to active duty members, retirees and their dependents on a walkin basis. Having a POA almost guarantees that
you will never need it. But if you do ever lose
your ID in a 20-plus year military career, it will
be when your spouse is deployed.
I also make sure I have contact information
for the unit’s key spouse and first sergeant
loaded into my cell phone and not just scribbled on a piece of paper that inevitably manages to work its way out of my wallet and into
Winter 2012
the bottom of my purse with the cracker
crumbs and loose change. Military spouses
are a pretty self-reliant bunch, but there are
those times when a household catastrophe or
serious family illness means we need to call in
reinforcements or to contact our service
member. While it isn’t the first sergeant’s job
to come change a lightbulb or mow your lawn,
the first sergeant, or your branch of service’s
equivalent, is your first call in a real crisis. If the
shirts don’t have the answer, they can probably point you to someone who does.
In the end, there’s not a lot we can do to
avoid the pitfalls and minor disasters that
come with deployed life except to prepare as
much as possible, brace ourselves and hope
for the best.
It also helps to surround yourself with a
group of wise and supportive friends who
can help you appreciate that most of the
catastrophes that the Curse visits on us are
of the “someday we’ll laugh about this” variety. Neighbors, coworkers, other military
spouses—good friends like this may not be
able to fend off the Curse, but they can help
put things into perspective. It also helps if
they know how to fix a leaky faucet.
Of course, I don’t really believe in curses.
Deployment only just feels like one of those
horror movies where the heroine has to survive a night in a haunted house. It’s hard; it’s
scary. There are dangers lurking in the dark
corners. But somehow, we manage to make
it through until morning, feeling a little bit
wiser and a little bit tougher.
But a curse? I don’t think so.
Still, it’s probably not a good idea to get in
the car with me while my husband is
deployed.
Just in case.
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METRO CREATIVE GRAPHICS
DCMilitary Family Life - Advertising Supplement
Page 11
USCG Sector NY MWR
The winter is upon us and the discounted
ski tickets are available for the snow that we
hopefully will be receiving this year. While
very few of us want to be digging out from
the white stuff, the fun-side is always looking
for that perfect opportunity for a quick getaway and enjoying the slopes.
MWR will be selling discounted tickets to
Mountain Creek, known for their famous
Triple Play, as well as CamelBack and
Shawnee Mountain. Check our website for
the prices and the various options as they
become available.
And visit New York in the winter? For the
Capital Region, this is one of the best times to
visit even if we get a load of the white stuff.
After all, the highways are plowed first, as well
as the road to the ferry. You travel in
Manhattan in the subways so transportation
isn’t an issue. All that leaves is shorter lines at
the Broadway Shows, lower prices at the
restaurants and far less tourists on the
streets. And activities just for you!
What’s happening:
December 31, 2013; Times Square NY:
Celebrate the arrival of 2014 with the annual
Times Square Ball Drop. Nothing compares
with the exhilaration of watching the fete from
the streets, plus you can catch music and
other performances before and after midnight. With all the revelry, it's best to get to
Times Square as early as possible in the day;
street closures begin during the mid-afternoon and the choicest spots are usually filled
by 3pm or earlier. For more information, visit
timessquarenyc.org.
January
N e w Y o r k B o a t S h o w ; Jacob K. Javits
Convention Center nyboatshow.com
Don’t miss the boat. Yachts, fishing boats,
kayaks—you’ll find them all at the New York
Boat Show, a New York City institution for
more than a century. Each year, tens of thousands flock to the event to check out the latest in boats and fishing equipment. Visitors
can also attend daily seminars with a full slate
of top fishing and boating pros.
Jewish Film Festival; The Jewish Museum;
thejewishmuseum.org; This film festival—a
collaborative effort between the Jewish
Museum and the Film Society of Lincoln
Center—aims to record, investigate and celebrate the Jewish experience around the
world with two weeks of cinematic offerings,
including narrative feature-length films, shorts
and documentaries. Previous NYJFFs have
featured films that went on to great national
acclaim, like Nowhere in Africa, Beaufort and
Empty Nest
W i n t e r A n t i q u e s S h o w ; Park Avenue
Armory; winterantiquesshow.com Each winter, the most prestigious antiques show in
America comes to the Park Avenue Armory.
The show features the best selection of
pieces from antiquities through art deco. The
Page 12
PHOTOS COURTESY/USCG SECTOR NY MWR
show also serves as a benefit for the East
Side House Settlement.
February
Chinatown; Manhattan, NY; Check out the
Lunar New Year celebration happening in
Chinatown for stunning visuals, tantalizing
treats and impressive performances. This
street party features all sorts of vendors, food
and festivities for all ages. Walk the main
streets of Lower Manhattan—from Little Italy
through Chinatown—to get a glimpse of the
official Lunar New Year Parade. For more
information, visit explorechinatown.com
Westminster Dog Show; Madison Square
Garden; westminsterkennelclub.org
Each year, dog fans flock to Madison
Square Garden to find out which pooch will be
designated Best in Show. Founded in 1877,
the Westminster Kennel Club is America's oldest organization dedicated to the sport of
purebred dogs. Crowd and judge favorites
include hound dogs, terriers, retrievers, Saint
Bernards, bulldogs, dachshunds and the
ever-stylish poodle. Come watch these regal
canines compete for top-dog honors.
New York International Children's Film
Festival; gkids.com; Helping to redefine what
a “kids' movie” has to be, the New York
International Children’s Film Festival shines a
light on some of the most unique, engaging
and thought-provoking youth-oriented films
made outside the Hollywood system. From
obscure animated shorts to full-length, liveaction dramas, the NYICFF covers nearly
every style, age group and cultural background, making it an ideal event for the family.
Lodging
For the best value in town, stay with the
Coast Guard Guest Quarters. There are two
units, a two bedroom and a three bedroom
former family housing unit complete with a living room, dining room and kitchen. Each unit
has its own bath. Reservations are taken as
far in advance as you care to make them
understanding that full payment is required at
DCMilitary Family Life - Advertising Supplement
the time of the reservation and there is a cancellation fee.
If the Guest Quarters are full, we refer you to
our neighbor, the Navy Lodge. Co-located in
the same parking lot, this leisure travel gem is
ideal for the couples who do not need the
space available that the Guest Quarters offers.
Remember, the Coast Guard ITT office is
the only ITT office located in New York City.
Be sure to check us out at
www.secnymwr.com before visiting the city
that never sleeps.
Winter 2012
NSASP continued from page 10
Liberty Center
(Single/ Unaccompanied
Sailor Program)
Open 7 days a week, The Liberty program sponsors free or reduced-price
events for all active-duty personnel. Contact
the Liberty Coordinator at 540-653-7277 for
information and scheduled events. ID
required for Liberty discounts.
Library
Open 6 days a week with a variety of fiction, non-fiction, periodicals and reference
materials, movies for check-out, audio CDs,
daily papers and reading lounge with Wi-Fi
hot spot and television are available.
Computers, copier and a fax machine are
available for patron use. Computer classes
offered seasonally, story time for the kids
every Friday at 10 a.m. and a variety of
events offered monthly.
Gear Issue & Equipment Rental
/ RV & Boat Storage Office
Open 4 days a week. Located within the
Auto Skills Center, Gear Issue & Equipment
Rental offers a selection of recreation equipment for fishing, camping, picnics, special
events, sporting equipment and more.
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METRO CREATIVE GRAPHICS
Rentals can be daily, weekly or for the weekend. Call during hours of operation for
details and pricing.
The Dahlgren Movie Theater
The NSF Dahlgren Movie Theater has
gone digital! Join us at the newly remodeled
Dahlgren Movie Theater. We have new seating with drink holders, new carpet, new
paint, new curtains and a new digital movie
system (capable if showing 3-D movies).
Friday and Saturday evening movies shown
year-round, featuring recent movie releases.
Concessions are available including food
and beverages. A significant savings when
compared to commercial movie theaters.
Eligible patrons include all with base access.
For more information please contact the
movie info. line at 540-653-7336.
Hours of Operation: Friday: 7 p.m.
Showing; Saturday: 7 p.m. Showing
Price of Shows
$5 Civilian, $4 Active Duty, Retired &
Reserve Mil E7 & above & their family members with ID, $2.50 E1-E6 and below and
their family members with ID, $2 Child (6-11),
Free - Child (5 and under).
Youth Activity Center
Open 5 days a week from 6 a.m. - 6 p.m.
Before and after school program and summer camp for youth grades K-12. Our staff
members supervise a range of activities
from recreation to crafts to homework time.
!!
Special Per Diem Rates & Packages
TDY Packages Available
One Bedroom Suites
1036025
300 ARMY NAVY DRIVE, ARLINGTON VA
1032842
Winter 2012
703-416-4100
DCMilitary Family Life - Advertising Supplement
Page 13
Quantico MWR
MCCS Quantico Stay in the Know
MCCS Quantico has a lot going on this fall.
Stay in the know by signing up to receive our
Monthly Trifold at the MCCS website. Or like us
on facebook, facebook.com/Quantico MCCS.
The Clubs at Quantico
The Clubs at Quantico has a new executive
chef, Chef Frank, and is your prime location
for a unique lunch experience, delectable
dinners and club events. They offer a daily
lunch buffet, take-out menu Monday-Friday
from 1100-1330, and special dinners
Wednesday-Friday 1600-1930. Various
events are held throughout the week for our
Marines to relax and enjoy the camaraderie
of their fellow Marines. TCAQ also offers a
Conference Center that is the perfect location
for your special event. Call 703-784-4264 for
more information or visit the dining section on
the MCCS website.
Medal of Honor Golf Course
Golf Outings
Fall is the perfect time to schedule a golf
outing! The Medal of Honor Golf Course
includes an 18-hole golf course, practice
range, putting green, a beautiful Clubhouse
with an expanded Pro-Shop, and Mulliganâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s
Restaurant. For fees and more information,
call 703-784-2424 or visit the recreation section on the MCCS website
Automated Tee Time
The Medal of Honor Golf Course takes Tee
Times via the Automated Call-in System.
Patrons should stop by the Pro Shop with
their identification and sign up for a pin number. The pin number is required to identify
Tee Time priority. There is no charge for a pin
number. Automated Tee Time phone number: 703-432-8536.
Barber Physical Activity Center
BPAC houses Physical Fitness, Health
Promotion, Athletics and Youth Sports. The
facility offers a large variety of recreational
opportunities with a 9,600 square foot fitness
deck, group exercise room, spin studio, functional fitness room, three racquetball courts
and one full-sized basketball court. It also
offers a TV and Wi-Fi lounge, smoothie bar,
child co-op, locker rooms and separate
saunas for men and women. For more information call, 703-432-0590 or visit the Semper
Fit section on the MCCS website.
Health Promotion
The Semper Fit Health Promotion Center is
located in the Barber Physical Activity Center,
Building 2073, Barnett Avenue, which is
staffed by both Navy medical and Marine
Corps personnel. They offer many classes
and screenings to Active Duty, Retirees, DoD
Civilians, Spouses, and Dependents. For
more information call, 703-784-3780 or visit
the Semper Fit section on the MCCS website.
Page 14
METRO CREATIVE GRAPHICS
Physical Fitness
The Quantico Physical Fitness Program is
located in the Barber Physical Activity
Center, Building 2073, Barnett Avenue.
Fitness programs include personal training,
group exercise programs, health promotion,
fitness lecture series and a variety of specialty programs. The Physical Fitness Program
supports the Marine Corps PFT, CFT and
weight control requirements. For more information call, 703-432-0593 or visit the Semper
Fit section on the MCCS website.
Athletics
The Marine Corps Base, Quantico
Athletics program guarantees to provide a
comprehensive range of individual and
team sports for both men and women with
an emphasis placed on mass participation. It
is designed to provide programs that assist
Marines in maintaining morale and esprit de
corps while keeping mentally alert and
physically fit. In addition, to fulfill the leisure
time needs of interests of military personnel,
their family members and DoD civilians
through recreational and competitive activities. For more information call, 703-784-5627
or visit the Semper Fit section on the MCCS
website.
Youth Sports
Quantico Co-ed/Inclusive Youth Sports are
recreational/instructional leagues. Our first
priority is fair and equal play for all youth athletes. All players get equal time on the field
and/or court regardless of skill level. Once
this is achieved, our next focus is on teach-
Any complaints about the program,
coaches, officials, etc. need to be put in writing and taken to the Youth Sports Office at
Barber Gym. For more information call, 703784-9756 or visit the Semper Fit section on
the MCCS website.
Quantico Auto Hobby Center
Get your car ready for fall trips by stopping by the Quantico Auto Hobby Skills
Center Shop to make sure it runs smoothly.
The center can assist you with repairs, maintenance, and instruction on automotive
needs and also offers Free Holiday PreInspection and Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Preventative Auto
Maintenance classes. For more information,
call 703-784-2729 or visit the recreation section on the MCCS website.
Rec/ITT
ing teamwork as well as building and/or
improving sports skills. All of our coaches
are volunteers. This means that not all teams
will be starting their practices on the same
day. Historically, we get the majority of our
coaches when they register their child.
However, to get the entire number of coaches needed, we may have to call parents and
try to recruit coaches. Teams without coaches will be dissolved and registration fees will
be refunded. If you have questions about the
Youth Sports program, please call or e-mail
he Youth Sports office: 703.784.5637/9756
or wyantls@usmc-mccs.org
DCMilitary Family Life - Advertising Supplement
Are the kids bored? Want to plan a family
excursion? Stop by or call Recreation,
Information, Tickets, and Tours located in
the Marine Corps Exchange, Building 3500,
Russell Road. They have information and
brochures about many local and regional
attractions. The staff searches out "hot
spots" suitable for individual family outings
and/or tours of special interest to their customers. Rec/ITT offers discounts to many
local attractions: Kings Dominion, Busch
Gardens, Six Flags, Colonial Williamsburg,
and the Verizon Center. For more information, call 703-432-8850 or visit the recreation
section on the MCCS website
Winter 2012
1036048
1033222
1032521
Winter 2012
DCMilitary Family Life - Advertising Supplement
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DCMilitary Family Life - Advertising Supplement
Winter 2012